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<br />U) to increasing costs but relatively low prices in 1977. In the circular <br />~'\J <br />(.\1 area budgets, malt barley went from a net return of $97.80 to $18.50 per <br />..-j <br />'~) acre, feed barley from $132.90 to -$37.51 per acre and potatoes from <br /> <br />C;'''' <br /> <br />$322.28 to $206.47. The corners reveal an even more drastic effect with <br /> <br />malt barley shifting from -54.88 in 1974 to -131.88 in 1977, feed barley <br /> <br />from about break 'even in 1974 to -147.47 in 1977, but potatoes did some- <br /> <br />what better, declining from $251.47 in 1974 to $146.29 in 1977. <br /> <br />Budget Comparisons - 1977 <br /> <br />Although it appears that potatoes can still be profitably grown in <br /> <br />the center pivot corners today, the problem arises in that potatoes are <br /> <br />seldom grown continuously and when grown in combination with, malt and <br /> <br />feed barley, it is not possible to establish a permanent cover if potatoes <br /> <br />are grown in the comers. Then a choice remains in the years of barley <br /> <br />production of leaving the comers idle or planting to barley. As earlier <br /> <br />discussed, idle corners create problems of wind erosion and noxious weeds. <br /> <br />If the barley is planted, total net returns decline over the crop ro- <br /> <br />tation period (the number of years to grow all crops in the rotation <br /> <br />assuming that potatoes are grown less than every other year.) <br /> <br />The budgets 11-26 in appendix pages 13 and 14 illustrate the,above <br /> <br />points. Budgets 11 through 14 indicate a loss situation throughout for <br /> <br />feed barley. However, it is noted that planting the corners,to feed <br /> <br />barley creates the greatest per acre loss followed by permanent cover, <br /> <br />a "comer" system and the least loss to fields with idle comers. These <br /> <br />losses were -$54.64, -39.66, -36.77 and -31.66 respectively. <br /> <br />Malt barley showed a small loss of -$4.92 per acre by planting the <br /> <br />- 13 - <br />